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 Best manager of our time?, Best manager

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Duke Red
post Jun 16 2009, 10:23 AM

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QUOTE(cellfreezer @ Jun 16 2009, 10:09 AM)
Well, to be fair SAF has spent most of his career at OT. But, don't forget that he brought a bottom tier division two club (St. Mirren) to promotion and become the First Division champ. He also broke Celtic and Rangers dominance by winning the Scottish league with Aberdeen. Last, don't forget that he brought Man Utd back to its feet from when the last league winner from Manchester is Man City.
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I'm aware of Ferguson's achievements. I actually took the liberty of reading up a little on other managers before I posted my nomination. I myself agree that he's the best manager of my time but I'm questioning claims that he's the "best manager ever", especially when there is no justification. If it were purely down to medals and trophies, we won't even hear names like Shankly or Busby being whispered.


Added on June 16, 2009, 10:36 am
QUOTE(Makakeke @ Jun 16 2009, 10:20 AM)
Let's see, if we're taking number of trophies into consideration, Fergie has won United 11 domestic titles and 2 european cups. That might not rival some other managers like Barnebau who had more european glory but i think he shares the same podium as Ancelotti, Del Bosque with 2 UCL title under their belt. Domestic glory is pretty much justified. That alone is something to be glorified.

Loyalty comes into the picture. No doubt, managers like Guus, Scolari, Mourinho, Keegan are great managers but neither had the steel to last that long with a single club. Arsene Wenger is another example I could bring into the picture, look at how he stayed and transformed Arsenal. He stayed for more than 10 years now? How many managers can actually do that?

I believe the main factor that separates a great manager to a great coach is management itself. Fergie has shown us in the past and perhaps recently? (with the offload of Ronaldo) that no one is bigger than the club and no one is indispensable. He's not afraid of making choices, even hard ones that might affect the club's reputation and chances. He'd sold some of the best players in the world i.e Stam, Becks, RVN and still United is one of the best clubs in the world. That's a great manager. The game is not based on strategy alone, that can only bring you to a certain level, mentality and team spirit brings you further and Fergie inculcates it in the team. The club, fans, players all respect him, how many clubs can say that with their manager?

And not many managers develop homegrown players. Fergie probably is the virtuoso in this area. The bunch on kids that won us the title in 95/96, and even the current United youth squad, they're all perfect examples. That's already a problem that when Fergie retires, there ain't another manager that could fill that void, except for Wenger but we know where his loyalty stands.

I'd say why Fergie is the best manager of all time is because of his undying passion to the game, his willingness to evolve with time, and his policies that is not self-centred but universally loved.
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It was always going to be subjective when you remove silverware and rightly so I believe.

My vote for "best manager of all time" would be Bill Shankly. I suppose a lot of it is down to sentiment but his contributions not only to the club but the city of Liverpool speaks for itself. Liverpool were in shambles at the time he took over. A second division side with facilities that resembled the slums of Brazil. He not only transformed us into one of the most feared sides in Europe, he changed the hearts and minds of the people. He made Liverpool "the people's club" and his connection with them was unrivaled. He was behind the all red kit, the bootroom, almost everything that the club stands for today. He had a really dry sense of humour and some mistook his confidence of arrogance. Was he arrogant? Well he would talk to anyone off the street about football. He would let strangers into his house. He would stop by for a kickabout with local kids on the way home. The stories go on and on. Even after he left the club, he bought a ticket and stood at the kop because it was were he said "he belonged". I've done some research and not many managers have as many stories as the Shanks. Not many have as many testimonials from journalists and common folk.

I can see why non-Liverpool fans would not even consider him. I mean his success doesn't even rival Paisley be he did lay a very strong foundation for Paisley's success. 3 European Cups did Paisley win with a team containing Shankley's DNA. Well 4 if you consider Fagan's. My nomination is based very much on sentiment and what I would give to meet the man in person.


Added on June 16, 2009, 10:39 am
QUOTE(Makakeke @ Jun 16 2009, 10:20 AM)
Let's see, if we're taking number of trophies into consideration, Fergie has won United 11 domestic titles and 2 european cups. That might not rival some other managers like Barnebau who had more european glory but i think he shares the same podium as Ancelotti, Del Bosque with 2 UCL title under their belt. Domestic glory is pretty much justified. That alone is something to be glorified.

Loyalty comes into the picture. No doubt, managers like Guus, Scolari, Mourinho, Keegan are great managers but neither had the steel to last that long with a single club. Arsene Wenger is another example I could bring into the picture, look at how he stayed and transformed Arsenal. He stayed for more than 10 years now? How many managers can actually do that?

I believe the main factor that separates a great manager to a great coach is management itself. Fergie has shown us in the past and perhaps recently? (with the offload of Ronaldo) that no one is bigger than the club and no one is indispensable. He's not afraid of making choices, even hard ones that might affect the club's reputation and chances. He'd sold some of the best players in the world i.e Stam, Becks, RVN and still United is one of the best clubs in the world. That's a great manager. The game is not based on strategy alone, that can only bring you to a certain level, mentality and team spirit brings you further and Fergie inculcates it in the team. The club, fans, players all respect him, how many clubs can say that with their manager?

And not many managers develop homegrown players. Fergie probably is the virtuoso in this area. The bunch on kids that won us the title in 95/96, and even the current United youth squad, they're all perfect examples. That's already a problem that when Fergie retires, there ain't another manager that could fill that void, except for Wenger but we know where his loyalty stands.

I'd say why Fergie is the best manager of all time is because of his undying passion to the game, his willingness to evolve with time, and his policies that is not self-centred but universally loved.
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It was always going to be subjective when you remove silverware and rightly so I believe.

My vote for "best manager of all time" would be Bill Shankly. I suppose a lot of it is down to sentiment but his contributions not only to the club but the city of Liverpool speaks for itself. Liverpool were in shambles at the time he took over. A second division side with facilities that resembled the slums of Brazil. He not only transformed us into one of the most feared sides in Europe, he changed the hearts and minds of the people. He made Liverpool "the people's club" and his connection with them was unrivaled. He was behind the all red kit, the bootroom, almost everything that the club stands for today. He had a really dry sense of humour and some mistook his confidence of arrogance. Was he arrogant? Well he would talk to anyone off the street about football. He would let strangers into his house. He would stop by for a kickabout with local kids on the way home. The stories go on and on. Even after he left the club, he bought a ticket and stood at the kop because it was were he said "he belonged". I've done some research and not many managers have as many stories as the Shanks. Not many have as many testimonials from journalists and common folk.

I can see why non-Liverpool fans would not even consider him. I mean his success doesn't even rival Paisley be he did lay a very strong foundation for Paisley's success. 3 European Cups did Paisley win with a team containing Shankley's DNA. Well 4 if you consider Fagan's. My nomination is based very much on sentiment and what I would give to meet the man in person.

This post has been edited by Duke Red: Jun 16 2009, 10:39 AM
Duke Red
post Jun 29 2009, 11:56 AM

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QUOTE(airiholic @ Jun 27 2009, 07:11 AM)
Sir Alex is the best IMO. He did a great job at Aberdeen like the guy above me mentioned. When he arrived at Man Utd, they were just a mediocre mid table team.

What I admire about Ferguson and Wenger is how they build rather than buy. They didn't have the biggest budget when they started, so they gradually built the team, bringing in 'unknown' talents and developing the youth team. A club that builds a team will have longer lasting success compared to teams that are 'bought'


It was different back then with player caps and such. Teams were forced to spend on developing homegrown talent because they didn't have the luxury of playing a team full of foreigners. Today it's simply cheaper to pinch developed youngsters from foreign land. It's the reason FIFA wants to impose the 6+5 rule in 2010, in order for clubs to focus on youth development once more. When was the last time you've seen a bunch of local lads turn out for Liverpool, Chelsea, Man Utd or Arsenal? For that matter, Wenger did buy, only that he went for youth rather than established internationals.

QUOTE(airiholic @ Jun 27 2009, 07:11 AM)
National coaches are difficult to judge. They're only busy during the off-season and can only win trophies perhaps every 2 years. But credit to the managers who go to foreign lands, overcoming the culture and language barrier to do a great job. In this case, top marks to Guus, who did a fantastic service to Korean and Russian football
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It's a whole challenge all-together like you mentioned, hence the respect managers who attain success at both club and international level get. I think it's unfair to say they're only busy during the off-season, which incidentally differs depending on which regions your players are playing in. It isn't easy trying to monitor players plying their trade in 5 different countries. It's even harder to have them train together given the resistance they'll face from club managers especially during cup games. I don't think one is easier than the other, just different.

QUOTE(Max_07s @ Jun 27 2009, 10:55 AM)
stoke is not the midtable team..they fight to avoid relegate..yes..aberdeen is one of his early club.. yet i admit he is among the best manager...but not the best..

you can check sir matt busby for man utd..and shankly for liverpool ofcourse...how he transformed from low class or low division until liverpool won division 1 title..

so IMHO..SAF is the best manager for 90s and 00s and for the club only..

best manager is so general..and it is so difficult to determine who.. rclxub.gif
Which makes it a good topic for discussion, that it's subjective. It's therefore important for people to back their choice up with an opinion. Is it down to trophies alone? Depends on how much reading you do I suppose. Rinus Michels introduced "Total Football" and yet, no one mentioned him when we were discussion the best manager of all time. I know the discussion is limited to best manager of our time but we digressed for awhile.
Duke Red
post Sep 18 2010, 09:04 AM

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QUOTE(Golden @ Sep 18 2010, 01:30 AM)
Proof that SAF doesn't spend money in order to achieve success!! Respect to him..

While the other teams like Chelsea, Manchester City, Real Madrid, and Barcelona spend like mad....

http://www.thaindian.com/newsportal/sports..._100398702.html
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The article is in context of this season. It can't be used as a blanket statement. I've said earlier that Ferguson has done well building a solid team over the years so much so that he doesn't need to have the best players to win games but all managers spend.
Duke Red
post Sep 20 2010, 11:42 AM

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Success is never instant but in today's game, an injection of cash comes with expectations of just that. Football has become a business and like any business, the investor wants to see returns in as quick a time as possible.
Duke Red
post Sep 20 2010, 12:25 PM

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Doesn't matter if the TS is a Wycombe Wanderers fan. If you are able to articulate your choice, people will listen. I personally picked Fergie months ago despite hating him. In discussions such as this, you have to put emotion aside.

Good call on Mourinho though. I overlooked the fact that he's had success almost everywhere he's gone.

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